Oct. 30, 2006, 11:24PM
Two senators take on KBR
Its labeling of 'proprietary' details questioned
By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Two key senators Monday called on the Bush administration to examine giant military contractor Halliburton Co.'s "unacceptable" practice of routinely labeling information about its work in Iraq as proprietary.
Last week, Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said Halliburton subsidiary KBR had abused rules designed to protect sensitive contractor data, thereby hampering the government's efforts to oversee the company's activities.
Examining KBR's performance providing logistical support for operations in the Green Zone, Bowen said KBR claimed the daily head-count at dining facilities or the amount of fuel issued to foreign embassies was proprietary to the company and should not be disclosed.
On Monday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, and Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the ranking Democrat on that panel, asked Army Secretary Francis Harvey to become personally involved to end what they consider the "inappropriate" claims of proprietary.
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